Defense Ministry finds bones

May 04,2019

South Korea’s Defense Ministry said Friday it has discovered 60 pieces of bone believed to be from soldiers killed in the 1950-53 Korean War inside the demilitarized zone (DMZ) on the border with North Korea.

The bone pieces were found this week during an excavation and demining project under way on Arrowhead Ridge, a former battle site inside the DMZ that separates the two Koreas, the ministry said. Since South Korea launched the excavation project earlier this month, the military has found a total of 92 pieces of bones, it added.

“[The military] found seven pieces on Monday, two pieces the following day, and 27 and 24 pieces [the next two] days, respectively,” the ministry said in a release.

Noting that it remains unclear how many people the bone pieces belong to, the military said it will carry out a detailed examination and DNA analysis to identify their origins. Under the inter-Korean military accord aimed at reducing tensions, Seoul and Pyongyang planned to carry out the joint excavation project for about six months from April.